Chapter 78: Summer Begins IV

( Harry Pov )

The day had proven most enjoyable, he had manage to get most of his non-magical shopping done, but it was proving to be problem since he was outside to wards, he was unable to use his wand to shrink his shopping, and had to carry it the hard way, but it gave him a good work out.

He also got his food shopping done, since he only had the most basic things at his temporary home. In addition he also had managed to pick up a couple pairs of jeans and shirts since the ones he had were becoming tight, in short he was outgrowing his mundane clothes. It also gave him chance to explore the local area.

Now he was settling down for evening of reading, he had just finishing reading about wards and how to deploy them as defences. The book for most part was all theory, giving examples, of over lapping wards supporting each other; aim at slowing down the attacker for the average home, providing time for Aurors to arrive and arrest the suspect.

But it was accepted to create any strong defensive screen of wards. You had to have wards, supported by physical barriers and guardians of differencing natures. So to point the 3rd floor had been designed around that idea, and combined with the puzzle concept. This would have been far more effective, if the physical guardians weren't so easy to overcome.

It also made him think about Gringotts bank, at how extensive the physical protections were, with an army of goblins and creatures such as dragons, and of course wizards and witches in their employment.

All finished off with wards on top. And that was the visible ones, who know what other quiet secrets the goblins had picked up over the years, and had added to place, since they were the leading provider of warding and curse-breaking services in Europe. And that would mean they also had the pick of best wards, ones which they had recovered from their curse breaking expeditions and no one knew about, it was like Fort Knots.

This ultimately gave him allot to think about, it also pointed out that certain wards and spells which could not be placed together. The key example of it was the Fidelius charm/ward. It required so much power to cast and maintain, which meant other wards could not be place on top. And has soon as the charm was compentmized it was useless, and you lack any other wards to act as protective barrier against the attackers.

It was pretty much the story of how his parents had died, betrayed by their friend, allowing for their murders to all but walk in through the front door, with no opposition.

No longer in the mood for reading about wards, after reflecting on his parent's deaths, it was sobering to think about. But made an effective lesson of different methods of defences, you either made your own stronghold with multiply layers of wards, or you have to secret keeper you have absolute faith it, otherwise you were easy prey, resulting in him gesturing for Serenity to come over and sit of his lap.

Soon as she landed on his lap, he went about gently stroking her as a distraction, seeking comfort in the simple act of having a friend nearby, which made it easier to think about his parent's deaths.

While he was stroking Serenity, he wonder if he was ever in the situation where he had to go into hiding, who would he put his faith in.., after all who ever became his secret keeper would themselves become a target.. Who would he be willing to risk losing, but also could be trusted enough to keep his secret?

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( Albus Pov )

Walking down the road to where he had left young Harry over a decade ago, looking it over to see it had remained unchanged by time, expect for the minor details. He had change into his best muggle suit, so he didn't attract any unwanted attention.

He had a rather simple plan really, if Harry could not be persuaded to drop the charges, then for the greater good he would be forced to use some compulsion charms, and couple of memory altering spells to achieve his ends. Nothing which would cause permanently damage the boy, but just enough to get the charges dropped.

Worst case, he would just order the charges dropped, since he was the boy's magical guardian, if it ever got to the court room. After all no charges, meant no case, and Severus would not be explored, even if it did cost him to lose some respected, for further protecting the man from the law. But it was necessary for his plans, and one he was willing to make.

Simple fact was Severus had been following his orders, and he couldn't afford to lose such a valuable and skill asset such as the potions master, due to his own short slightness, and underestimating the boy capability.

Also fact was, if Severus was ever asked why he did it, it would come out that he had been ordered by him to spy on Harry. This would unfortunately lead to questioning how many others had Severus used the ability on. And that would cause much bigger scandal, then the names of students whose parents were both his political allies and enemies.

And frankly he couldn't allow that to happen, he was already under attack from Lord Malfoy. Who was currently trying to have him removed by using the troll incident, as pretext to gather supporters for his own takeover of Hogwarts. However at times like this, he was ever so grateful for his spies and agents, who kept him informed of plots against him.

Finally approaching the house which he recognised from his memories, and knocking on the front door patiently waiting for the Dursley's to answer. Eventually the door opened to reveal a well dressed blonde hair woman in her early twenties, "Yes, how can I help you?" she asked looking at him, with puzzled expression, causing him to snap out of his internal surprise, since if he remember correctly Petunia was brunette rather than blonde, and should be in her mid forties.

Realizing he may have the wrong address, "Sorry miss, I think I may have the wrong address, I was looking for the Dursleys, I was told they lived here," he explained.

"They moved way last September, I don't know where; they didn't brother to leave a forwarding address for any of their mail," she explained in a disapproving way.

This perk his curiosity at what wasn't being said. Making eye contact he dived into the Blonde's mind, who happen to be called Samantha White, and search through her mind, for all her memories of everything she knew about the Dursleys, from moment she had visited the house with her state agent, and meeting the Dursley's and getting the impression that the family was assholes.

And that obese Vernon had tried touching her ass, making her feel disgusted, to the rumours that they had murder their nephew. After he had disappeared one evening, but no body was ever founded by the police. And that the wield things were going on around the house, and street in general, and that it was his ghost haunting it, reaching out across the void.

This caused him to frown, before he quickly recovered, thinking over the available facts, watching the memories of odd things happening, before making to redraw from her mind, not before leaving some mental instructions behind.

First to forget meeting him, and if on the off chance she heard anything about the Dursley's, and more importantly Harry, to send letter containing the details to Hogwarts muggle forwarding address.

And since she had been so helpful, he'd decided to do his one good deed for day, and help 'Sam' out by making her life easier. He left one final mental command, to live a long happy life, and be devoted wife and mother to her future children, before fully redrawing from her mind.

Turning leaving Samantha standing in door way, as her mind reset to its new settings, with no memory of what had just happen.

Thinking over everything he learned, he would have to send an owl with tracking charm on it, He would also have to form the ministry so they could remove the monitoring wards, and move them to Harry's new residences when he was eventually found.

But the more disturbing thing was that boy's magic was clearly lingering, and manifesting with its own will. Which shouldn't be possible for someone as young as Harry's was. Only adult wizards and witches had been reported to have such effect, and only after having lived in the area for so long, and had died rather horrible deaths.

Eventually he came up with workable theory, with suited the available facts. Since it was possible by product of the original blood wards he had erected a decade ago, to protect the lad. Before Tom had marked Neville has his equal, and he had been unsure of Harry's role.

Either way, he would have to monitor the boy, and try to solve this puzzle. Afterall their was so little written about bloodwards, and the ward theories behind them. Thinking it over, before smiling at the puzzle, before deciding his next great book could explore the theory behind them! it been to long since he had published any new works.

But it could wait; he had bigger problems to handle.

Looking at the neighbourhood for one final time, before disappearing, it never occurred to him that he could make Sam's life worst due to his interference, After all how could the great all knowing Albus Dumbledore ever be wrong?..

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